Transportation News

With the help of a federal grant, the city is installing 125 bike racks throughout downtown and at select schools in Winston-Salem to meet the growing demand for bike racks.

Each U-shaped bike rack can accommodate two bikes, says Matthew Burczyk, the city’s bicycle and pedestrian coordinator. “We want to encourage more people to bicycle by making it convenient to park free and close to destinations,” Burczyk said. “The few racks previously available were already being used a lot so we’ve expanded capacity.”

The bike racks are being paid for with $25,400 allocated from a federal grant for local transportation needs. The city provided $5,500 in matching funds.

The city also recently installed five “art” bike racks downtown, including a rack that looks like an old-fashioned bike in front of Camino Bakery, and another that looks like a reel of film in front of Aperture Cinema. These racks were created by Zach Lail, a local artist and biker, and paid for through private donations.

The new bike racks are part of a concerted effort to make bicycling and walking safer and more convenient.

This summer, the city is marking local roads to designate 10 more miles of bike lanes or shared lanes. When completed, the city will have 20 miles of bike or shared lanes.

Other efforts include:

Four brochures in English and Spanish with safety/courtesy tips for bicyclists, pedestrians, motorists, and residents/property owners; and a folding wallet card with a summary of laws and tips for cyclists. The brochures will be a resource for city staff and police officers to distribute at community presentations and events. Copies are available for download on the city’s website.

A series of television public safety announcements on walking and biking safely in Winston-Salem. The Bike Smart and Walk Smart videos are being shown on WSTV 13 and can be viewed on the city’s website and it’s YouTube channel.

Judi Wallace, the Safe Routes to School coordinator, said, “The common message in all the materials emphasizes everyone working together to create a safer community for all.”

For more information about the Bicycle and Pedestrian Program, go to “Active Transportation” or call CityLink 311.